Clouded Flower
by RoyaleDeuce
Summary: In the midst of bloodshed, Haru strives to become stronger — HibariHaru
1. Prologue

**Clouded Flower  
**_**by:**__ RoyaleDeuce_

* * *

_"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all."_

* * *

Blood.

Her senses were highly receptive to the repugnant scent filtering the air, the coppery tang lingering in her mouth, and the viscous fluid pooling around her.

_I don't want to die..._

With hopes of conquering this final battle, she drew strength from the memories elicited by the vision of the vast expanse of the starry night - her family, ambitions, _Vongola._ But she knew it was only a matter of time before they all fade into oblivion.

Even on the precipice of death, her eyes were set upon the sky.

_...Tsuna._

A dark silhouette clouded her view of the heavens.

"S-save me..." she whispered to the wind, her eyes fluttering close.

* * *

**A/N:** Shortest chapter I've ever posted - it's only the prologue though. Does it have potential? Standard disclaimers apply.


	2. Target 1: Trepidation

**Clouded Flower  
**_**by:**__ RoyaleDeuce_

Target 1: Trepidation

* * *

"They were ambushed."

There was an unexplainable dread that fell upon the room at those words. The three Vongola Guardians – Storm, Rain and Sun – addressed the Vongola Decimo seated at the end of the table with an air of apprehension as they waited for his response. But Tsuna remained silent and looked surprisingly collected.

Ryohei was the first to break the unnerving silence. "They were on their way to the airport when they were attacked. The technology was stolen, dammit!" he said regretfully, his fists curling into balls.

"We suspect the Lepore's behind it," Gokudera met his boss' gaze.

"The method of attack is every bit Lepore," Yamamoto seconded. "However, they weren't the only ones involved. The Research Department assured us that information on the technology wasn't easily given and only those delivering it themselves knew when it was going to be moved... Someone betrayed us, Tsuna."

"How many were killed?" Tsuna asked softly, speaking for the first time.

"Nine. We found them dead," Yamamoto responded gravely. "…gun shots all over their body."

"And Haru…?"

The atmosphere considerably thickened. All of sudden no one can look him in the eye.

"We can't find her," Gokudera's voice was barely audible. "Alongside the two other researchers, she's gone missing."

Tsuna sucked in a shaky breath, his earlier composure wavering. "…Have you looked everywhere?"

"We checked the entire area, and there was no body," Ryohei replied.

"How about the houses nearby? Perhaps she was taken in by someone in the village."

"Negative. We searched every house in the community, but there was nothing," Gokudera finally looked up to meet his boss's gaze. "We think the missing researchers are the traitors. It's possible that she—" but the word _betrayed_ faltered when he noticed Tsuna's expression "—it's possible that she's still alive, Juudaime."

Tsuna shut his eyes. "Please continue to look for her."

* * *

Slowly, Haru caved in to consciousness.

A sea of white greeted her as soon as her eyes fluttered open. Her limbs were heavy and her thoughts were muddled; it was as if her entire being was pushed to the very core of the earth. For a moment, she thought that perhaps she was on the other side right now; she could distinctly remember the overwhelming amount of blood that pervaded her senses.

She was dead.

She had to be.

It took her a while to overcome the disorientation and realize that what she had been staring at all along was a white-washed ceiling. Tilting her head to the side, she noted that she was in an unfurnished Japanese-styled room; she also became aware of a scent which vaguely reminded her of sakuras. Mustering strength she didn't know she had in her, she sat up.

She was alive…

…How?

She instinctively gazed at her arms and legs and was surprised to find herself sporting a loose white yukata. She took a deep breath. Blood – that was the only thing she could strongly associate herself with regarding the events of the previous night. Her mind went haywire as to how she could have possibly escaped death and survived.

Suddenly, she caught sight of a tiny movement by the open window. For a split moment, she thought she saw a small, yellow mass perched on the sill. She pulled off her covers, and pushing her body to the limits, carefully got to her feet and peeked out the window.

"Hahi!" She immediately staggered backwards at the sight.

A ravine.

Completely stumped, she headed towards the door and slid it open.

Haru was astounded to discover the massiveness of the house; it had about twenty rooms, all with wooden floors and sliding doors. But what left her astounded was her current location; the house was isolated in the midst of a tall forest – and it was situated on a mountain.

The primary thought that crossed her mind was that she was kidnapped and was going to be used against the Vongola. The fact that there was no one guarding over her was highly questionable – it is possible that she was in the hands of an ally – however, the lack of proof which directly linked her situation to the identity of her captor left her to assume the worst-case scenario. Not to mention that the very nature of the scenario was in it itself suspicious. It wouldn't surprise her if there was a mob of mafia dons or a pride of rabid lions waiting for her at the foot of the mountain; the location of the prison itself was enough to hinder an easy escape. But she thought her captor must be really stupid to underestimate her.

She never dreamt of becoming a burden to Tsuna and the others – she had had enough of assuming that role when they were fourteen.

She wasn't going to just sit around and do nothing.

The first thing she did was check if there was any means of communication she could use. Unfortunately, there was no sign of any telephone or radio in the house, so contacting Tsuna was out of the question. She was highly aware of her limited options for escape, and regrettably, it appeared there was nothing else she can do but get away by foot.

She spent the entire morning collecting essentials; a rucksack, a big cloth (to build a tent), ropes, a pocketknife and a first-aid kit. She figured she would also need some food to sustain her in her journey, so she immediately headed over to the kitchen – which she was happy to note was complete with appliances and ingredients – to prepare something.

As she busied herself preparing food, her thoughts suddenly veered towards the time they were stuck in the future. It was all hauntingly similar. While Tsuna and the others risked their lives fighting, Kyoko and she were left with a sense of foreboding despite their declaration of faith in the Guardians' ability to survive. At the moment, she was experiencing that same fear. The only difference is that this time she feared for her own life, and she was left alone to carry the yoke of her trepidation.

The sound of the microwave pulled her from her thoughts, and it wasn't long before she was able to pack two dozens of rice balls, a viand and a water jug. Then she wasted no time replacing her yukata with a pair of sweatpants and a jacket she found in one of the cabinets in her previous room – she noticed her bandages needed changing, but she figured she'd take the time to change them after she was safely out of the house and hidden in the forest. Although her wounds weren't completely healed and her body was at its limit, her flickering resolve to escape was enough to keep her moving.

She was going to return to Tsuna and the others.

She had to.

In a matter of five minutes, she was right in front of the back door and ready to go. But she was faced with one last dilemma as her gaze was transfixed on the wooden mantelpiece right across the hall. Reluctantly, she approached it and never took her eyes off the metallic object lying on top of the table.

"_They got Takatsugi and Okita!" _

"_Secure the equipment and call for reinforcements!"_

"_RUN HARU!"_

_The sound of gunfire echoed in the night… then everything was blood red._

Seconds ticked as she simply stared, unaware that her entire body was shaking at the memory of their ambush. She could once again feel the piercing sensation of the bullet penetrating her skin, taste the cuprous substance in her mouth, and see the bodies collapse on the endless pool of blood.

There was a loud gunshot from the distance.

Haru snapped from her daze.

Then another gunshot… it was closer.

It took her several more moments of hesitation before she finally grabbed the gun and ran towards the door.

The twittering birds and the gust of wind filtered the dreadful silence as soon as she stepped outside. Cautiously, she observed her surroundings, ensuring that the one responsible for the previous shots was not around. After making sure that the coast was clear, she ran for it.

Apart from her own footsteps, all was silent as she rushed past the trees, the wind whipping her entire body. She didn't know for how long she was going to keep the pace; the bulk of her rucksack was quickly wearing her down and she could already feel the strain in her body. If this kept up, there is a possibility her wounds would reopen and that would undoubtedly slow down her escape. If only she could spot a convenient hiding place in her haste, then she would have the chance to catch her breath and recover her lost energy.

Haru suddenly became aware of the soft _crunching_ behind her.

Her breath hitched, _I was followed._

Her fears were confirmed when a bullet missed her by several centimetres and hit a nearby tree.

She ran faster, as fast as her feet could bring her; she didn't care whether her wounds reopened as long as she was as far away from the area as possible.

_I don't want to die._

"H-Hahi!"

The next moment, she felt an excruciating stabbing pain on her left thigh which caused her to stumble face-flat on the muddied ground. Blood seeped in the cloth of her pants faster than she could blink. She could hear the fast-approaching footsteps of her attacker, her heart pounding wildly against her ribcage as she waited for the inevitable moment of her death.

She clenched the gun in her fist.

No, she can't die here, she just _can't_.

Mustering enough strength to twist her body to the side, she pointed the gun at the man who was currently looming over her with his own gun directed at her body. She was shaking, her grip loosening as the man smiled mockingly at her, as if he could read clearly into her mind and see her own qualms about the object she was bearing with pseudo-courage.

"The Vongola Decimo sends his regards, Miura Haru."

Her eyes widened.

The sound of the gun reverberated in the woods.

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**A/N: **Care to share your thoughts? Next chapter will be posted soon. **(:))**


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